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Spurs stamp authority after Shelvey’s moment of madness

Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2

Oliver Kay

August 13 2017, 6:00pm, The Sunday Times

Alli stretches to put Tottenham ahead in the second halfPeter Powell/EPA

As Dele Alli took his leave, his work done, howls of derision and worse rained down from the home crowd. He will often attract — and indeed invite — the pantomime-villain treatment, but this time it was not warranted. Grudging admiration would have been more appropriate, certainly when the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder’s contribution was set against that of Jonjo Shelvey.

For 48 minutes Newcastle United were looking more and more assured on their return to the Premier League stage. Then came Shelvey’s moment of madness; in full view of the referee, in a risible attempt to provoke a reaction, he trod on Alli’s ankle and then had the temerity to look shocked when he was shown the red card. Alli picked himself up, dusted himself…